


Reaching Out

by TheGriefPolice



Series: How Tony Became a Gibbs [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: BAMF Gibbs, Dcuky is kind of a psychological person, Ducky to Save the day!, Mentions of PTSD, NCIS AU - Kelly was never born, NCIS AU - Kid Tony, NCIS AU - Shannon's alive, Nightmares, Tagging is Annoying, Uh..., art therapy, everything else is basically the same, fluff!, foster parents that actually care, fostering, he's trying to help, learning to love, learning to reach out, selective mutism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-16 00:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10560316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGriefPolice/pseuds/TheGriefPolice
Summary: It's has officially been a month and a half since Tony started living with Shannon and Gibbs. And, though he is getting better, things level out and the Gibbses aren't sure why. So Ducky comes in to help.OrTony's getting pelted with nightmares and then Gibbs and Shannon are super amaizing. Lots of cuddling!Directly follows the rest of the series!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Aye-ye-ye. This one was a little harder to get an idea for! But, I remembered when Ducky was studying to be a pshycoanalizer and this is what came to mind! 
> 
> Just a simple two-parter! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> I don't think there are any triggers, but, if there are, please let me know and I will make a warning!!!

It had been a month and a half since Tony had come to say with Shannon and Jethro Gibbs. The bruises were finally faded completely out and Tony's arm was free of the plaster prison it'd been in for six weeks. Each day seemed better than the last to the boy as he watched TV and played in the workshop and learned all kinds of new things.

Shannon was making sure he kept up in school with all of his subjects for when he was ready to go back, and Gibbs was always fixing something but Tony was never shooed away. The boy would sit right there and watch as Gibbs pulled out one section of pipe from the wall and replaced it with a white one, adding blue goop around the edges so it'd stay.

Shannon had said that the house was really old and they had some bad pipeing that all needed to be fixed, so Gibbs was doing it in little chunks at a time. After watching so many times, Gibbs having explained every step as he did it, Tony was able to give it a try.

Gibbs had watched over him the first time, and then Tony was allowed to help out a lot more. Tony kind of figured it was no mistake that he started fractions that week, either.

They didn't do school stuff all that long, either. Only a few hours spread out through the day. He'd found out that it was because Shannon thought he only had an attention span for about forty minutes before he'd start to space out, so they only ever did thirty minute chunks of work. Sometimes she'd even give Tony quick little quizzes and would make sure to correct all of his missed answers so he could get them next time. 

It was all great. Everything was amazing. 

Except at night.

Night was when Tony would toss in bed for hours and finally get to sleep, only to wake up a few hours after due to a night mare. He knew he sometimes screamed because Gibbs would come in and calm him down those nights. But, most of the time, he let the adults sleep and just sit in bed until it was okay for him to get up. He knew they were on to something, but they never asked and Tony still wasn't talking much.

He'd squeak out a few words some days, others, it just took too much effort and he couldn't. It was wearing on his patience, too. He got a lot more frustrated a lot more easily, most days ending in tears he didn't even understand. 

Shannon cut their sessions in half, thinking that may be the issue, but that only made Tony more agitated. He liked the lessons, and he liked learning stuff, he didn't want to just sit around the house all day while Gibbs got to be a hero and Shannon was so cool. He wanted to be useful!

Shannon and Gibbs were growing more and more concerned with Tony as dark eyes grew under his eyes and he just looked Ike a shadow. He was easy to cheer up and seemed so much more like the child he should be. But something was wrong.

Gibbs threw out the idea that maybe things were just becoming a bit too much for the boy and they'd let him relax a little more. But that only seemed to frustrate him more. Gibbs would have called the meltdown tantrums, but he honestly wasn't sure. 

The boy would just seem to fed up with everything and sit in the floor for a while with tears running down his face until Gibbs or Shannon managed to calm him down. Tony was talking even less now, if that was possible. He seemed to cling to any physical contact they gave him as if it would be the last.

Worried that it may have something to do with Tony thinking someone would come and try to take him away again, both adults sat down and made it clear that he was staying for a long time. Nothing could change that. And it seemed to help a little bit, but the outburst remained the same.

"I don't know what to do any more." Shannon said as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm not sure of what I'm doing or if it's helping him."

Gibbs ran his hand down her back and sat in quiet thought. "Maybe we could bring someone in?"

Shannon sighed. "There's not many people Tony trusts and I don't want to shove him into a room with some weird person who will start asking all these questions he can't answer."

Gibbs nodded. "We could find someone. Read reviews, talk to people. See what they think and make sure to take it all with a grain of salt."

"Maybe," Shannon let her head fall onto her husband's shoulder. "I just want the happy little boy I know is there somewhere."

Gibbs ran his hand through his wife's long hair as he said, "Me too."

The answer to their problem came the next day when Gibbs had walked into Autopsy and Ducky stood over a body as Palmer read off cards.

"An enlighten state of feeling out of touch with one's body." Palmer said, flipping the card over as Ducky answered.

"Disassociation." Ducky answered, turning his back to the body. "I met a young lady in London once who was able to walk through flames because of this disorder. She'd do what she called 'stepping out' and walk through the flames without feeling a single thing."

Palmer's face twisted in a wince. "How--"

"I hope you can work and play, Duck." Gibbs cut in as he walked around the ME and his assistant to look at the body.

"Ah, Jethro. We all know I am very inept at multitasking." Ducky said, tuning back to the body with his hands still raised in the air in a surgical hold. His face was covered with a plastic mask that hung from a strap around his brow, none of which covered the smile he had for his friend. 

"What can I do your you today?"

"Just coming to see if you found anything on the body, Duck." Gibbs smiled back, taking a sip from the cup in his hand.

"Actually, yes. I have." Ducky twisted his waist just enough to reach for a bean shaped tray and held it out. "A nine millimeter straight through the chest will not kill a person outright. But, if that person was knocked unconscious and shot from above, he would have a high chance of bleeding out."

Gibbs nodded, then looked to Palmer. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, I-Im just helping doctor Mallard s-study, sir." Palmer replied, pushing his thin framed glasses up his nose. His face looked eerie in the bright lighting and taking away all of the color.

"Study?" Gibbs asked, looking over to the doctor.

"For my psychological profiling degree." Ducky said with a fond smile. "Figured it mate be of future use."

Gibbs thought about his question for a moment before he put it into action. "Can you work with kids?"

Ducky seemed taken aback by the question. "Well, I-uh, I'm not sure. I suppose it's all the same basic idea. But I am not quite sure how the young mind develops."

"So, possibly?" Gibbs asked, the desperation showing through just a small amount.

"I suppose I could if need be." Ducky said with great thought.

"Duck, I need your help."

And that was how Ducky ended up at the Gibbs residence, sitting on the floor and talking to Tony.

Ducky wasn't quite sure of everything that was going on, but Gibbs had tried to explain everything the best he could. Tony had started opening up and was now shutting down again. They were worried. And Ducky could hardly say no to a worried father when said father was also one of his best friends.

Tony seemed rather placid as he maneuvered the table of supplies Shannon had laid out for him to draw. She had said that he replied to it well before, so Ducky was testing her and jumping out on a limb.

But, the woman appeared to be right. Tony smiled at Ducky a few times and the doctor even got a, "yeah," out of the boy. The first picture Tony had done was of Gibbs and Shannon and the house. The colors were mostly bright with an eye on detail and labels for everything, even the boat that sat in the corner.

Ducky could see what Gibbs had meant when the man said the Tony was somehow better, and yet worse. He was talking, though never in full sentences, and he didn't seem to shy away from Ducky when the man leaned over. But he seemed withdrawn into himself, shoulders hunched and arms rarely leaving his side of chest as if protecting them. And then there was the way his face would fall when he thought no one could see. He had a look that made him fifty years older, sending dark shadows across his face and showing a deep sorrow. It was as if the boy had faced the front lines of the most brutal war in existence.

And then it hit Ducky.

"Tony, can you draw me something from your dreams, please?" Ducky asked, forcing a smile across his face and handing the boy a new piece of paper. "It could be anything for anyone of them. It might be fun, hum?"

Tony nodded and picked up a crayon. It didn't take long for Ducky to make out the form of some person in black wax. All around him were faces with no names and no definitive features, all just standing with no idea of movement. Ducky pursed his lips.

"You know, you are quite the artist." Ducky smiled with as much truth in it as he could. "Would you mind if I showed this to Gibbs and Shannon?"

Tony nodded his head no, reaching for another paper to draw on again. So Ducky stood up, knees craving the whole way, and walked to the kitchen when Shannon and Gibbs sat at a breakfast table.

They looked up at the same time and offered for him to take a seat, with Ducky greatfuly took.

"I believe we have found what's been troubling young mister Anthony." Ducky said, setting the drawing on the table.

Shannon put her hand over her mouth, looking from her husband to Ducky. "What is this?"

"I request he draw one of his dreams." Ducky answered with the sigh that could only mean the doctor was just as concerned as the other two adults.

"Nightmares?" Gibbs asked, already knowing the answer.

Ducky nodded solemnly. 

"I fear this figure to be the perpetrator of the vile acts against the boy." Ducky said, pointing to the figure in the middle. They all knew what he meant. That man was no longer anything of a resemblance to a father. He was barely even a man.

"So what do we do?" Shannon finally spoke up, eyes sewn with worry.

"We help him. We make sure we're there when we are needed. We try to get him to sleep through the night." Ducky sighed here, rubbing at his temples. "That's all we can do."

"Will this ever..." Shannon's voice trailed off, but everyone knew where it was going.

"Completely? Probably not." Ducky saw the woman's face sink, and quickly went on. "But it gets better. With time and help. I'm sure you all are doing everything you need to. We just have to wait."

Both caretakers nodded, letting out small sighs. They sat in silence for a moment before Ducky saw a light switch on in Gibbs's head.

"I may have an idea." Gibbs said, standing up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imma be honest... I don't think this turned out as well as I wanted it to. But, it needed to be done. Here is the next chapter. (Really, is should call it a CRAP-ter, but, whateves.)

Gibbs told Ducky and Shannon to stay in the kitchen, saying this was something just between men. Shannon had rolled her eyes with amusement as Ducky gave a small glare, but made no move to get up. Sitting on the floor had really taken it out of him.

Gibbs walked into the living room and smiled when Tony looked up. The boy gave a small smile back as Gibbs held out his hand.

"Let's go sit on the back porch for a minute," Gibbs said, pulling Tony to his feet easily.

Tony nodded and followed along, unsure of what was going on, but willing to go all the same. They walked out the back door and onto the wood deck, warm hair hitting them instantly. The summer was waning in and it was getting warmer every day.

Gibbs sat down on a swinging bench and patted the space beside him for Tony to follow. When he did, Gibbs wrapped his arms around the boy's shoulder and leaned back.

They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the gentle breeze and birds chirping. Then Gibbs took in a deep breath and started talking.

"You know, when I was a kid, my friends and I used to get in some crazy trouble. Times were a little different then, so we'd walk around with BB guns and shot at cans. You know, getting into trouble as kids do when they have something that fires little pellets. 

"Well, one time, we were shooting glass bottles across a field and I was up. So I took aim and pulled the trigger and heard glass shatter. I thought it was the bottle, so I cheered with my friends and we all high-fived and danced around. But I had apparently shot and broken a window to a house I didn't even know was there. The man from that house came out chasing us in overalls with an ax waving in the air.

"We all screamed and ran as fast as we could. We never went back to that field, but I'd have nightmares about this man for months. And every time I woke up in the middle of the night, my father would be right beside me telling me to just go back to bed. That it wasn't real. But I don't think he was right."

Gibbs looked at Tony, completely wrapped up in the story. "The dreams, although they were just dreams, felt real. They wouldn't be scary otherwise. And it's not wrong to ask for help when things are scaring you, you know? If you're scared and maybe just want a napping buddy to keep away all the bad things, that's okay. That's showing you're even more of a man, too. Because you know when to ask for help."

Tony looked at Gibbs like the man had just grown a second head. 

"It's true." Gibbs smiled. "Like how I have to ask you for help with the piping, or how Shannon sometimes needs help setting the table at dinner. You're always a big help and happy to do it, right?"

Tony nodded his head. He liked doing all that stuff because it made him feel like he belonged. Is that why adults do stuff, too? Because they want to belong? That seemed silly, but, at the same time, it kind of made sense to his young mind. Maybe Shannon and Gibbs wanted to feel like they belonged with Tony as much as he wanted to feel like he belong with them? And helping was just one way to show that.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around the boy, surrounding him in a hug before they walked back inside. Shannon was in the living room, cleaning up a bit of the art mess as Ducky was shrugging on his jacket.

"Out of here already?" Gibbs asked.

"Ah, yes. Sadly, I must get back to let out mother's dogs." Ducky smiled. "I will see you tomorrow, Jethro. Shannon, thank you for the tea."

"Anytime, Ducky." Shannon smiled, giving the man a small hug and a kiss on the right cheek. "Don't be a stranger."

Ducky smiled and nodded, then let out an, "Oof," as something attacked his legs. "You too, Tony. I hope to see you again soon."

Tony leaned back and nodded, letting the man go. Ducky rustled his hair and waved, then was out the door.

That night, Tony didn't resist sleep so much. He was a little worn for the day's event and it took him less time to fall into sleep's hold. It didn't last long, though, and when he woke up it was with his clock showing the small hours of the morning and his heart beating too fast to even think about sleep.

He was about to just roll over and wait out the night when Gibbs's words washed over him. He didn't think he was going to act on them, but, for the first time in his life, he was doing the unthinkable. He kicked his feet over the side of the bed and stood up, taking the throw blanket with him as he walked down the hall. He was scared, but he knew the way to their room. It was just down the hall, and their door was always opened.

Tony looked in and saw they were both asleep. Just lumps on the bed. He was so scared to wake them up, but going back to his room seemed impossible. Maybe he could just sleep in here? The floor wasn't much different from a bed and he wouldn't have to wake anyone up. 

He crept in, careful to not make too much noise. Just when he thought he'd found a good spot to lay down, a sleepy voice called out gently. 

"Tony, sweetie?" 

Tony looked over his shoulder to see Shannon propped up on an elbow looking at him. Her features were hard to see in the dark, but Tony could tell she wasn't mad. When Shannon was mad, she'd get this deep tone in her voice and didn't mover her jaw. Tony had only seen it once when she yelled at a man that got a little too close to Tony one day at the store. 

"Come here, sweetheart. Did you have a bad dream?" Shannon asked, reaching out her hand. When Tony didn't move, she spoke again. "Come on, it's okay. Enough room for everyone."

So Tony took a step forward. And then another. And then another. And, soon enough, Shannon's hand was wrapped around his and pulling him into the bed and under the covers. Her arms wrapped around him so naturally, and Tony couldn't help but push into her a little more, taking in her sent and presence.

"There we go. It's still really late, hum? Best to get back to sleep." Shannon ran her hands through the boy's hair, watching as his eyes fluttered closed and stayed that way, breathing evening out. 

Tony didn't wake up again the rest of the night, a first in a long time. He felt better the next morning, too, like he could do anything. Shannon was laughing as he raced up to her at breakfast with a drawing of what could only be Gibbs in some kind of red car.

Shannon and Gibbs had happily amused him all day, amazed by how just a simple night's rest helped the boy's mood so drastically. 

Honestly, it was one of the best days they'd had with Tony in a long time. So, that night, when he walked in again during the small hours of the morning, Shannon had welcomed him in once more. They made sure he went to sleep in his own bed, but didn't bring it up if, at some point, Tony would worm his way into their bed and sleep there. 

It had become such a constant, that Shannon was naturally awake at that point to welcome in her snuggle bug. She enjoyed holding him close at that point, making sure not to point out tears that were sometimes on his face or the way he'd hold onto her like he was afraid the woman would leave. But, one night, he wasn't there when she opened her eyes. She waited a few minutes, but there was still nothing. Concerned, she got up and walked to the hallway, keeping her movements slows and quiet and she walked towards Tony's room and pushed the door open a little more. 

And there Tony slept, one hand thrown over his head and the other down by his side as he lay on his back. Totally and utterly out for the count.

The next day was the first day they heard Tony say a whole sentence when he sat down at the table. Gibbs was reading the newspaper before he had to go in, discreetly having thrown out the page that had an update in the DiNozzo case before Tony could see it.

Tony still stole glances at the back of the paper as he ate cereal, squinting as if he couldn't really see. Finally, he asked, "What's a bike?"

"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked as he set down the paper.

Tony pointed to a headline with "Bike race a huge hit!" in large letters across the paper.

Gibbs smiled curiously. "Have you ever seen one?"

Tony shook his head no, curls flying in the movement. They'd have to get it cut soon.

"Here, I've got an idea." Shannon said from the other side of the table, pulling out her phone and typing into it. She held it up when she was finished, showing a picture of a two wheeled device up to Tony.

Tony reached out to touch the phone, surprised when Shannon let go of it for him to hold. On the screen was a picture of a two wheeled thing with bars connecting them and letting the boy sit down. It was kind of weird. But it looked like the boy on it was having a lot of fun, a wide smile on his face as he put effort into going down a street, hair poking out of a thing on his head.

"Can I try?" He asked, holding the phone out for Shannon to take back. He was afraid he'd break it.

Gibbs thought for a second, then, with a look at Shannon, said, "Maybe. It might be a bit, though."

Tony nodded, eyes falling back to his cereal. Something about that look told Gibbs the boy didn't believe him. He wanted to say something, but Shannon beat him to it.

"We don't have a bike that would be a good fit for you, yet." She smiled, reaching out to Tony and placing her hand on his smaller one. "Maybe we can go yard-sale-ing and find you one?"

Tony's mood visibly shifted as he nodded his head. 

The rest of the day passed easily, McGee asking to come and see Tony so he could keep his promise. It would have been nice to use the chance to go on a date, but they weren't sure how Tony would react if they left. So, they settled for seats on the back porch and a quiet conversation.

Tony sat inside with McGee, happily learning how to work some game system neither adult on the porch could actually name. But he'd grown comfortable enough with McGee to let the man mess with him and rustle his hair.

"We better watch that," Gibbs sighed playfully. "We'll end up with McGee as a son, too."

Shannon laughed, leaning into her husband's embrace. "I don't know if I would mind that very much."

Gibbs just rolled his eyes and let his arm fall naturally around Shannon's shoulders. 

They sat in the silence for a while, enjoying the sounds that would sneak under the door from Tony or McGee laughing. Gibbs was starting to drift when his wife moved, sitting up.

Gibbs looked at her with a questioning look, unsure of why she was shifting to face him with one leg bent in front of her on the bench and the other on hanging so her foot touched the ground.

"He's coming so far, Jethro." She smiled, a tear rolling down her face.

"We've still got a long path ahead of us." Gibbs reasoned. 

Shannon nodded, smile softening as she looked over his shoulder. "What's up, sweetie?"

Gibbs turned to face Tony as he stood in the door way, smile from ear to ear. He held out the controller to Gibbs. "McGee said I couldn't get you to come play."

Oh, Gibbs was going to kill McGee later. But, right now, he didn't care. That was the most words he'd heard Tony say in almost two months. He pushed down the overwhelming need to hug the boy tight and reached for the controller.

"Does he, now?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for your support on this story! I'm so happy that you all are enjoying it!
> 
> Please leave a comment or a kudo because I enjoying knowing what you like or what you think might need work!


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